Robert stockton



(No Model.)

R. STOGKTON.

CAR GOUPLING.

No. 465,807. PatentedDeo. 22, 1891.

@lm'bmeooao S14/uen to z s@ mgm UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

ROBERT STOCKTON, OE LESLIE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO GEORGE N. ALLEN, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,807, dated December 22, 1891,

Application iiled July 18, 1891- Serial No. 399,924. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT STOCKTON, of Leslie, in the county of Cumberland and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplings whereby there is provided a coupling which is automatic in its operation and which may be manipulated without entering between the cars.

The invention is possessed of many meritorious features of novelty, all'as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically referred to in the claims. y

In the annexed drawings similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, wherein Figure l is an elevation ot' a car provided with my improved coupling device. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Ithe draw-bar used with my improved car-coupling.

In manufacturing my device I prefer to make the draw-head with awidely-Iiarin g open mouth to assist in guiding the approaching coupling-link into place, and I form the drawhead with a horizontal opening extending entirely through it, but closed at, the rear end by means of a spring-pressed block, which bears normally on the guide-pin of the block B,hereinafter referredto. This spring-pressed block bears normally on the guide-pin D of the block B, so that as the guide-pin may be locked in its elevated position, as herein described.

The draw-head is provided with an opentop port-ion in which is held the block B, which is provided with the guide-arm D and locking-pin l). The guide-arm extends entirely thro ugh the draw-head at all times, and is provided at its lower end with the coil-spring C. Within a short distance of the lower end of the guide-arm is provided the notched portion, which acts as a lock, under the influence of the two springs C and s, as the spring C tends to draw the pin down and the spring s forces it out, and thus the notched portion is crowded to a position to lock at its contact with the draw-head.

Vhen it is desired to couple to a car provided with my improved car-coupling, the block B is raised to the position shown in the full lines of Fig. 1, and it will be there locked till the approaching coupling-link of the car to be coupled with strikes the guide-pin at the rear of the draw-head and releases the notch of the said pin from its engagement with the draw-head, whereupon the spring C will quickly draw the two pins D and b to their limit of downward movement, and there lock the link in coupled position, where it is held by the peculiar form of the block B in such position that it will be allowed to give to the movements of the cars, and at the same time will be so supported that no guide is required to place the link in position to couple with an approaching car when it is desired to again couple to another car.

It will be observed that there are provided at the ends of the car a series of levers and chains or cords, which are used to uncouple the cars provided with my improved coupling device, and all that is necessary when itis desired to uncouple one of my improved devices is to depress the free end of any one of the levers shown, whereupon the block B will be elevated, and with it the coupling-pin which secures the link in place.

"Where it is not convenient to use the lever at the top of the car, I substitute simply any suitable and convenient means to secure the chain at the upper end, and the method of operation is substantially the same.

It will be observed that the block B is provided at its forward end at the top with the stud or projection a, which is to limit the extent of the downward movement of the ling cars, and this stud a strikes against the top side of the draw-head, where its downv ward movement is stopped, thus preventing IOO Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In an automatic car-coupler, an open draw-head provided With the vertical openings g h, passing entirely through the same, in combination with a locking-block B, provided with the stop ct, and having the dependent arms D and b, extending downwardly into .the draw-head through the openings g 7L, the arm D, being provided with an expansionspring C, surrounding the lower end thereof, and having the notch e cut in its front face, in combination With the spring s, adapted to force the said notch e into engagement with the lower shell of the open draw-head, all constructed and operating substantially as described and shown.

2. In an automatic car-coupling, an open draw-head in which is held `the block B, provided with the stop d and dependent arms D i), all formed of one piece of metal, the arm D being provided with the notch e, and provided at its lower portion with the spring C, surrounding the same, all in combination with the spring s, adapted to force said notch into engagement with the draw-head at its lower shell, all constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

In testimonyT whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name, in vthe presence 'of two attesting Witnesses, at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, in the State of Kentucky, this 15th day of July, 1891. A

ROBERT STOCKTON. \Vitnesses:

FREDERICK H. GIBBs, G. N. ALLEN. 

